pain clinic appointment

[denice46]

hi i finally have an appointment at the pain clinic end of this week .does anyone have any advice (IE) anything i should ask ,sorry fibro fog tonite and cant really put across what im really trying to say !!!.are there any meds that seem to work better than others etc...i know different things and cocktails of meds work for different people as individuals ,but i know its such an important appointment to me im just wondering the best way to approach it if that makes sense!?.thanks in advance xx

[Extremelygrumpy]

Hmm in my personal experience every pain clinic seems to be done differently ,, some are useless some offer physio OT and other offer tigger point injections which are the only things that keep me functioning . My first pain clinic appt I was told to stand up straighter buy a tighter bra..... With chostochondritis I really neatly hit her and I am normally one to use words rather than actions... My second pain clinic apptment I asked NOT to see the same woman got to see a man he listened to everything I had to say .. Felt my neck and shoulder and said yes you are a perfect candidate for trigger point injections... I have them every 3 months and they have helped so much...so I left the pain clinic babbling thanks incoherently and haven't looked back....unfortunately you can only have so many injections every 3 months so I get them in neck and shoulders as they are the worst bit of me ... But the rest is catching up rapidly

Would love to hear your experience after you have been

VG x

[Extremelygrumpy]

Sorry neatly should read nearly... I didn't actually hit her ...

[jom277]

I was discharged from pain clinic a few months ago but they were really good. I had acupuncture, trigger point injections, etc but I had had the quota for injections. They were great but after first couple, the pain relief did last very long. I am now under a rheumatologist.

I always take someone with me who can finish everything if I forget. Try to tell them everything, even if you think it might not be connected.

Hope this helps.

[JSue in reply to jom277]

may i ask what the drug name is for the trigger point injections?

[jom277 in reply to JSue]

Not sure, think they were cortisone but will check my paperwork and let you know.

[Amanda]

Unfortunately I seem to have been referred to the worst pain specialist in the world! I couldn't get a word in as he barked out questions,sneered at my crutches (gutter crutches due to poor hand function) and told me to take Lyrica (which my GP had to take me off immediately after a week) he then said I didn't have to go back! not a good appointment and I'd pinned all my hope on that appointment.So....be sensible,don't expect the world .Be assertive,it's your body and your pain.There are very good specialists out there and I pray that you get a good one.Take a list of medication,symptoms,main problem areas etc with you to refer to and you should be fine.XX

[jom277 in reply to Amanda]

Ask gp to re-refer you to someone else. Maybe you may have to go to a different local hospital. You have a choice under NHS choices where you go. Try to write down stuff and try to get point over. Other than try to get referred to a rheumy who specialises in fibro. May be able to do similar things there. Good luck.

[denice46]

thanks to all oh gawd ! i had a feeling pain clinics may be a very mixed bag so we shall see!i have taken all your advice on board so many thanks.been in major pain my gp prescribed me butrans norephine 5mg seven day patches today ive had one on since about 11am but nothing seems to be offering any pain relief yet! im not sure how long they take to work.i feel like im on no paiun relief whatsoever right now so am praying they offer some kind of relief soon even just to take the edge off! thanks again to all who where kind enough to reply xxx